Battle of Naseby

Significance

The Battle of Naseby, fought on 14 June 1645 near the village of Naseby in Northamptonshire, marked the decisive turning point of the First English Civil War. The Parliamentarian New Model Army under Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell destroyed the main Royalist field army commanded by Charles I and Prince Rupert, inflicting around 1,000 Royalist casualties against a force that had been outnumbered — 4,100 Royalists facing some 6,000 Parliamentarians. The destruction of the principal Royalist army effectively ended any realistic prospect of a Royalist victory in the war. Although Charles I did not formally surrender until May 1646, Naseby removed the military instrument on which continued resistance depended, leaving the King without a comparable force to reconstitute. The engagement thus closed the offensive phase of Royalist strategy and set the terms for the war's final year.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (8)